1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to drilling systems that include a system for separating cuttings at a well site.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wellbores or wells for recovery of hydrocarbons (oil and gas) are drilled using a drill string that includes a tubular conveyed from a surface location into the wellbore. The drill string includes a drilling assembly (also referred to as a bottomhole assembly or “BHA”) at the bottom end of the tubular that includes a variety of tools and devices and a drill bit. The drill bit is rotated by rotating the drill string and/or a motor in the drilling assembly to disintegrate rocks. A drilling fluid, commonly referred to as the “mud” is supplied under pressure from the surface to the drill string. The drilling fluid discharges at the bottom of the drill bit and returns to the surface via a spacing between the wellbore and drill string, referred to as the “annulus.” The returning fluid carries the disintegrated rocks (referred to as the “cuttings”) to the surface. The cuttings are separated from the returning drilling fluid and are typically either dumped into vessels, which are transported from the well site or dumped onto seabed with no weight or volumetric measurements. The weight of the cuttings is typically determined by weighing the vessels and the volume of the cuttings is determined from the volume of the vessels occupied by the cuttings. The weight and volume provides information relating to quality of the wellbore being drilled and certain characteristics of the rock formation drilled, such as density and the composition of the formation.
Such systems and methods are not efficient and can take substantial time from the time the cuttings are separated and weighed. The disclosure herein provides apparatus and methods for determining the weight of the cuttings as they are separated.